Tobacco feeding mechanism of cigarette-making machines



Oct. 23, 1934. R. J. A. CHANDLER TOBACCC FEEDING MECHANISM OF CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 23, 1934. R. J. A. CHANDLER 1,977,984

TOBACCO "FEEDING MECHANISM OF CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 23, 1934 Q'roBAcoo FEEDING QMECHANISM F *QIGARETTE-MAKING MACHINES Robert John Alexander Chandler, London, England, assignor to AmericanMachine & Foundry Company, of New Jersey New York, N. Y., a corporation Application June 27, 1933, Serial No. 677,789 In Great Britain July 4, 1932 Claims; (01. 131-39) i This invention'relates to apparatus for feeding tobacco in connection with cigarette-making machines of the continuous rod type. i

In feeding tobacco to the wrapper strip of ciga- 5 rette-making machines of the continuous rod type usinga high speed picker roll co-operating with a feed drum or pin" roll, it has been found that a proportion of the tobacco comprising the shorter fragments is not engaged by the feed drum but passes between the pins thereof in the reverse direction to the feed and subsequently mingles with the controlled supply whichis 'delivered to the chute by the pickerroll. The percentage of shorts inthe' tobacco is variable and consequently the leakage or back flow referred to will affect the discharge to the chute and results'in the production of an uneven cigarette rod. The object of the present invention is to overcome the above disadvantage and particularly to provide improved tobacco feeding mechanism in which more complete control is exercised over the tobacco while it is associated with the feed drum or pin roll.

According to the invention the tobacco which is received from the carding drums on conveyor means is fed beneath a rotating pin roll and between said roll and a fixed plate and is discharged into the chute by means of a high-speed picker roll arranged immediately adjacent theend of The feed is further controlled while the'tobacco is under theinfiuence of. the pin roll by means of elements such as forks which may be mounted on a supporting bar located on the receivingside of the roll and extend between the pins thereof to the point at which the tobacco is engaged by the pins of the picker roll. p v

A smooth .rotating roller may be arranged to compact the layer of tobacco on the feed belt 40 prior to its engagementby the pins of the feed drum, andmeans may be provided for preventing fragments of tobacco thrown off by the carding drums from reaching the pin roll except by way of the conveyor belt.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross-section of a tobacco feeding apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a front sectional view taken through the chute of the machine.

Figure 3 is a detail of the mounting of the comb member.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode as applied to the feeding mechanism of a cigarette-making machine of the continuous-rod type, the tobacco is received from the usual carding drum arrangement (not shown) by a substantially horizontal endless belt 3 which conveys it to the vicinity of a feed drum or pin roll 4 located above the chute 5 at the lower end of which is the channel for the cigarette wrapper strip (not shown). The forward end of the belt 3 is passed over a fixed bar 6 of wedge-shaped cross-section and passes thence under the chamfered rear edge of a second horifi zontal fixed delivery plate or bar '7 located centrally beneath the pin roll and extending the whole length thereof. The end roller 8 of the conveyor belt 3 is arranged under the said plates,

the top horizontal surface of the plate '7 being substantially level with the upper flight of the belt and also with the outside periphery of the pin roll a, i. e. the extremities of the pins 4a.

The forward edge of the plate 7 terminates at the inner wall 5a of the chute 5 and a high-speed picker roll 9 of small diameter is arranged so that the pins 9a, thereof just miss the forward edge of the plate 7 while co-operating in the usual way with the pin roll 4 to discharge the tobacco in the form of a shower.

A bar 10 mounted in a suitable position at the rear of the pin roll 4 and above the conveyor belt 3 carries fork elements having prongs 11 which extends downwardly underneath the pin roll and between the pins 4a, thereof to a point substantially vertically above the forward edge 35 of the fixed plate 7 and just outside the range of the pins 90. on the picker roll 9. The free ends of the prongs lie substantially parallel to the fixed plate 7. I

The prongs 11 are adapted to exert and maintain a pressure upon the mat of tobacco on the plate 7, for which purpose spring means are provided tending to press the prongs toward the plate.

Thusreferring to Figure 3, the bar 10 carrying the fork elements is detachably mounted at each end upon a pin 14 which extends through a sleeve 15 mounted for limited rotation in a bore 16 and coupled to the bar 10 by a clutch 17. One

end of a spring 18 is connected to the sleeve 15, while the other end is located in a recess 19 in the framework. The pin 14-. is mounted in a plate 20 which is retained in position by a pin 21 and screw 22. An outer or front wall 12 covers the picker roll 9 and may be extended over the pin roll as shown, the lower edge of the wall abutting against the front wall of the chute 5.

A rotating smooth surfaced roller 13 is arranged to press or compact the tobacco lying on the conveyor belt 3 before it is received by the pins of the pin roll 4, and a partition, preferably of glass, may be arranged above such pressure roll to prevent fragments of tobacco thrown from the carding drums from reaching the pin roll 4, except by way of the conveyor belt 3.

Driving means and gearing are provided whereby the smooth pressure roller 13 and the pin roll 4 both rotate in the same direction and their lower peripheries have approximately the same linear speed and direction as the belt 3. The picker roll 9 is rotated at a high speed in the opposite direction so as to produce the required shower of tobacco in the chute 5, in which a diverting worm 23 may be provided as described in British specification No. 343,111.

In operation the layer of tobacco deposited from the carding drums onto the moving conveyor belt 3 is first subjected to pressure by the smooth roller 13 to form a compact layer which may, for example, be some three-quarters of an inch in thickness. This layer is propelled onto the fixed plate '7 and is there engaged and forwarded by the pins 4a of the pin roll 4, the prongs 11 of the fork elements which pass between the pins being so arranged as to maintain a constant pressure on the tobacco while it remains in contact with the fixed plate. As soon as the tobacco reaches the edge of this plate it is engaged by the pins of the high-speed picker roll 9 which showers the tobacco into the chute.

It will be seen that by the practice of this invention the tobacco is not carried round over a large part of the periphery of the pin roll but passes underneath the said roll and the possibility of fragments of tobacco or dust reaching the chute by a second path is eliminated. At the same time a uniform regulated pressure is exerted on the layer of tobacco while it is being forwarded by the pin roll and this control is maintained up to the point at which the tobacco is discharged as a shower by the action of the picker roll which is of small diameter. In other words the tobacco is under the control of the forks up to the instantat which it is engaged by the pins of the picker roll.

According to a modified form, the conveyor ba d 3. may be Continued p o the d iv ry point, in other words the band may extend over a support such as the plate 7, the forward or delivery edge of which is tapered to form a relatively sharp return bend for the conveyor band. With such an arrangement the feeding of the tobacco to the picker roll 9 will be effected by the conveyor band as well as by the pin roll 4.

Instead of a flat delivery table or plate '7, a plate may be provided curved to conform to the a h of t p ns 411 a dh vins a part ad ac nt the band adapted to lead the tobacco fed thereby between the pin roll and curved part of the plate.

It is to be understood that various construct n m difi at ns ay be d he exampl described to suit the different conditions which may be met with in the practice of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a tobacco feed, the combination with a chute, of a plate terminating at the top of said chute, a pin roll mounted above said plate, means for feeding tobacco between said plate and said pin roll, a picker roll adjacent the end of said plate for engaging the tobacco as it is fed over said end to shower it into said chute, and a device between said plate and said pin roll and pressing on the tobacco passing across said plate.

2. In a tobacco feed, the combination with a chute, of a plate terminating at the top of said chute, a pin roll mounted above said plate, means for feeding tobacco between said plate and said pin roll, a picker roll adjacent the end of said plate for engaging the tobacco as it is fed over said end, to. shower it into said chute, and a device between said plate and said pin roll and pressingon the tobacco, passing across said plate, said device normally lying substantially parallel with the surface of said plate.

In a tobacco feed, the combination with a chute, of a plate terminating at the top of said chute, a pin roll, mounted above said plate, means for feeding. tobacco between said plate and said pin roll, a picker roll adjacent the end of said plate for engagingthe tobacco as it is fed over said end, to shower it into said chute, and a device between said plate and said pin roll and pressing on the tobacco passing across said plate, said device including a plurality of resilient tongues passing between the pins of said pin roll and termi ating over the end of said plate.

4. In a tobacco feed, the combination with a chute, of a plate terminating at the top of said chute, a pin roll mounted above said plate, means for feeding tobacco between said plate and said pin roll, a picker roll adjacent the end of said plate for engaging the tobacco as it is fed over said end to shower it into said chute, and a device between said plate and said pin roll and presson the tobacco passing across said plate, said device being mounted on a spring pressed bar pivotally mounted at the roar of said pin roll.

5. In, a tobacco feed, the combination with a chute, of a plate terminating at the top of said chute, a pin roll, mounted above saidplate, means for feeding tobacco between said plate and said pin roll, a picker roll adjacent the end of said plate for engaging the tobacco as it is fed over said end to shower it into. said chute, and a device between said plate and said pin roll and pressing en. the tobacco passing across said plate, said means including a feed belt the operating run of which terminates at a point slightly higher than that of the surface of the. plate, said belt having a lap engaged by the rear end of Said plate.

ROBERT J OH AL XANDER CHAN E 

